Maccallum Family in Durness

A brief account of my McCallum family - Elizabeth Redmond (nee Sands, nee McCallum)

My mother's maiden name was Heather McCallum. She was born into an extensive family on a property named "Balnakeil", near Donald in the Wimmera area of Victoria. The name Balnakeil and  the  names of her  grandfather and great-grandfather were all of the information I had when I began my research. That was about ten years ago. I now have found an enormous family spread all over the world, have meet some very distant relations, had five trips to Scotland, including The Gathering in Edinburgh this year, visited the homes where my ancestors were born and worked, and have in a small way, made a contribution to a musical/ oration called “The Flight of the Arctic Tern” which was performed around Scotland this year as part of The Homecoming activities.

My direct McCallum ancestor was John McCallum. He was one of nine children born to Iver/Evander/Edward McCallum and his wife Margaret. I think she was also a McCallum. The census records have them at a place called Daill/Dall on the Kyle of Durness near Durness in far northern Scotland. Evander (the name I've used for John's father) was a shepherd and from what we have found in our research in the Library in Edinburgh, the family members were employed by the lease holder of land in this area rented from the Sutherland family.

The family moved between two shepherds dwellings over a period of about 50 years....Daill and Kearvaig /Kerwick. Both of these buildings are standing today. Daill is used as a holiday home and Kearvaig as a bothy by walkers on their way around Cape Wrath.
The original dwelling at Kearvaig has been dismantled and rebuilt as sheep yards. A “new” home was built in 1870. Both are in magical spots.....on the beach, fresh water and of course hills beyond! Kearvaig is the closest dwelling to The Cape Wrath Lighthouse (designed by Robert Louie Stevenson’s grandfather).

With six sons in the family, finding employment and a place to live was always going to be a struggle. Three of the boys came to Australia; John, Duncan and Joseph.

John and Duncan and their wives Mary and Marion sailed for Australia on “The Hornet” in 1854. They docked in Geelong and obtained work as shepherds on large sheep properties in the area. John was later employed by two Scots by the name of Learmonth as a boundary rider on their large sheep holding, “Ercildourne” near Ballarat in central Victoria. In the late 1870”s John and Mary selected land at Corack near Donald, naming it Balnakeil, after the bay near their homes back in Scotland. Mary was a Mackay, related to the Mackays of the Kempsey area of New South Wales, and at the time of her marriage to John, her family operated the ferry across the Kyle of Durness. A ferry (a very small boat really) is still the mode of transport I have to use when I visit the “ancestral” home! No-one lives in this area (Known as The Parph ) now.

John and Mary had one child, Edward/Evander. Edward and his wife Alice had eleven children, nine surviving. My grandfather Samuel was their third child. My mother was the second child of Samuel and his wife Alice. The property has been in the McCallum family until a couple of years ago, but the name Balnakeil continues..... my brother’s  property near Shepparton is named after the bay.  My home has the name Kearvaig.

If anyone is interested or knows any more of my family history I would be very pleased to hear from them.
Phil Redmond, Australia

Photograph above shows the Maccallum home at Kearvaig, Durness
See also Daily News for photograph taken in Edinburgh.

Cathel Macleod & Mary Macaskill

CATHEL MACLEOD (c1885-14/12/1969) married MARY REID MACASKILL (c1898- post 1969)
Cathel was born in Assynt, son of Alexander Macleod, general merchant, and Ann Matheson (DC).
Mary was not born in Sutherland but she is the daughter of Alexander Macaskill of Balchladich, Assynt, and his wife Alice Reid of Glasgow.
In 1919 Cathel and Mary married in Glasgow.  They then went to New Zealand.
In 1869 Cathel died, aged 84 years, a master mariner, ex serviceman, in Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand, usual address Penzance Road, Mairangi Bay (DC).
Their children Alistair, Cathel, Ann, Donald and Roderick were born in New Zealand.
Information from Sandy Perry, Australia.
(Ref EM0022)

Robert Campbell

I have been researching my great grandmother's family from Melvich, Farr (used to be classified as Reay, Caithness).  Elizabeth (Bessie) and Robert Campbell emigrated to Australia under the Island and Highland Emigration Scheme in 1853.  Their sister Janet (Jessie) emigrated around 1860. Their parents were Williamina and Colin Campbell.  Colin and Williamina were married in Farr, Sutherland in 1819. They had eleven children, all born in Reay, Caithness.  In the 1841 census the family are living in Melvich and Colin is listed as a fisherman.  In 1851 Colin is listed as a crofter.  In 1861 Williamina is listed as a fisherman's widow.  Williamina died in 1862 and her parents are listed as Hugh Campbell and Jane Sutherland.
I live in Ballarat (Victoria, Australia) where Robert mined for gold.  Unfortunately he was tragically killed in a mining accident on August 6th 1861 and is buried in the Ballarat Old Cemetery.  His sister Elizabeth or Bessie is also buried with him and the reference "Our Mother" on the tombstone is for her. Elizabeth lived in Ballarat until she was 80 and died in 1904,  She married John Hampson and they had nine daughters.  I was excited to find the stone and facinated by the wording with it's reference to Sutherlandhshire.
I am sending a photograph of the stone which has been damaged and is on the ground.
It would be lovely to trace any family still living in the area and any information would be appreciated.
Kind regards,
Rosalie Darby
(EM0021)

Alexander Murray & Christian Sutherland

ALEXANDER MURRAY [1779-1857]married CHRISTIAN SUTHERLAND
Alexander, a native of Sciberscross, Clyne, and his wife Christian Sutherland were moved from Rogart to Altandoun, Borribol, Kildonan after 1800. In 1814 they were burned out in the clearance and survived that winter at Slethill near Forsinard in the heights of Strath Halladale. In the spring of 1815 they were evicted from Slethill and were relocated to Craigton further down the Halladale. In 1819 their daughters Nancy and Elizabeth emigrated to Earltown, Colchester County, Nova Scotia, with their husbands. Alexander and Christy followed them in 1821 leaving a daughter Jane and a son Angus behind. Jane eventually went out to Earltown in 1832 while Angus married and remained in Sutherland. William Murray, brother of Alexander, also went out to Nova Scotia. Alexander and Christy settled atop a hill overlooking the community of The Falls.  The area is now uninhabited but was once the flourishing settlement of Cnoc na Spidial or Spittal Hill, possibly named after Sletill Hill in Halladale.  Alexander and Christy are buried in Earltown Village Cemetery (GM/NS).
They had the following children:
ELIZABETH MURRAY (Elspet), born 1 December 1795 Craggy, Strathbrora (OPR) [died 1898] [married Peter Murray] (IGI)
DONALD MURRAY, born 5 July 1796 Rhilin, Rogart (OPR)
CHRISTIAN MURRAY, born 22 March 1798 Rhiline, Rogart (OPR)
JANE MURRAY (Jean), born 19 March 1801 Rhiline [died 1889] [married Robert Macdonald] (OPR)
ANNE MURRAY (Nancy), born 23 April 1800 Craggie [died 1892] [married Alexander Sutherland] (OPR)
ANGUS MURRAY, born 14 June 1802 Craggie [died 10th June 1872 Croik, Kildonan] [married Janet Mackay] (OPR)
DONALD MURRAY, born 20 July 1806 Craggie [died 1883 Canada] [married Ann Murray] (OPR)
ISABEL MURRAY, born circa 1808 [married John Graham]
HELEN MURRAY (Ellen), born 30 October 1808 Auldnan, Kildonan [died 1880 spinster] (OPR)
WILLIAM MURRAY, born 24 September 1811 Kildonan (IGI) [probably died infancy]
WILLIAM MURRAY, born 24 February 1813 Rhiske, Kildonan (OPR)
CATHERINE MURRAY, born 1813 [died 1885 spinster] (GM)
CHRISTIAN MURRAY, born 29 April 1816 Rhiske (OPR)
ROBERT MURRAY, born 7 May 1817 Rhiske [married Helen Murray] (OPR). 
(Ref EM0020)

Alexander Murray & Christina Murray

ALEXANDER MURRAY [1817-14/11/1890] married CHRISTINA MURRAY [1813-26/3/1898]
Alexander was born in Kildonan son of Peter Murray and Elspat Murray. 
Christina (Christy) was born in Rogart, daughter of William Murray and Margaret Mackay.  Alexander is believed to have emigrated to Nova Scotia around 1831 with his parents where he married Christy.
They had the following children:
PETER MURRAY, born 1843 Canada [died 1868] 
WILLIAM MURRAY, born 1845 Canada [died 1878] [married Janet Murray] 
MARGARET MURRAY, born 1846 Canada [died 1896] [married Neil Murray, son of William Murray and Christina Sutherland]
ELIZABETH MURRAY, born 1848 Canada [died 1882] [married George Macdonald]
DONALD MURRAY, born 1850 Canada [died 1911] [married Isabel Mackay in Canada – had family]
JOHN MURRAY, born circa 1852 Canada [died 1921] [married Jane Morrison]
ANN MURRAY, born 1857 Canada [died 1904] [married John Matheson]
(ref EM0019)

Alexander Murray & Catherine Ross

ALEXANDER MURRAY [c1800-6/4/1862] married CATHERINE ROSS [29/4/1798-12/5/1878]
Alexander was at Fluchary, Dornoch, at the time of his wedding to Catherine.
He may be a son of Robert Murray and Mary Murray.
He and Catherine (Kate) at Birichen, married on 30 March 1821 at Dornoch (OPR).
Catherine was born at Proncy, Dornoch, daughter of Alexander Ross and Marian Calder.
Fleuchary, Birichen and Proncy are very close together, part of what is known as Rearquhar.
Alexander and Catherine emigrated to Canada with their family – they are shown on the Sutherland Estate lists of tenants who emigrated during the year 1831. Alexander was shown as a lotter of Fleuchary.  Six including himself left for Canada.  His rent at Fluchary was 6/- a year.  On 31 August 1836 Alexander purchased lot 21, concession 8, West Zorra.  He died there on 6 April 1862.  His wife, Catherine Ross died at Embro, Ontario in 1878. They are buried in West Zorra.
They had the following children:
ALEXANDER MURRAY, born 4 February 1822 Fluchary (OPR) [died 10 July 1897] [married Janet Campbell]
DONALD MURRAY, born 17 June 1824 Fluchary (OPR) [died 9th January 1881] [married Margaret Murray]
JOHN MURRAY, born 2 August, 1826 Fluchary (OPR) [married Christena Forbes – had two children]
MARRION MURRAY (Mary Ann), born 3 April 1829 Fluchary (OPR) [married Angus Matheson]
JAMES MURRAY born circa 1837 Canada [married Jeannie Reid – had children Keith, Ross, Sybil and James]
WILLIAM MURRAY born Canada [married Betsy Grey (1845-1925) had six children]
(Ref EM0018)

Roderick Mackay & Catherine Fraser

RODERICK HUGH MACKAY was born 8th July 1883 at Droman, Eddrachillis, son of John Mackay and Barbara Macleod. Leaving Glasgow on 10th April 1909 on board the 'Hesperance' of the Allan Line, he had $50 on arrival in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 18th April.  Ticket #1202 listed him as a farm labourer with final destination of Halifax.  As he was British, he was a preferred immigrant. The story told by him, was that he was anticipating a job on a fishing boat in Halifax.  However, during the crossing, the fishing boat sank, and with it his hope of a job.  Once in Halifax, he was offered a train ticket to Fort William by the Salvation Army with promise of a job in the bush camps.  He and his four fellow travellers, accepted the offer.  Only he remained in Canada.  The others eventually returned to Scotland (see also HERE).  In the census of 1911 he was working for the Grand Trunk Elevator in Fort William, Ontario.

In January 1919, he returned to Scotland to marry Catherine Fraser, whom he had not seen for 10 years. They sailed from Liverpool on Aug 8, 1919 heading to Montreal on the Megantic.  He is listed as a returning Canadian.  The went back to Fort William where they spent the rest of their lives.  He was a millwright for Paterson Grain Elevators in Fort William (now called Thunder Bay).

Roderick died 16 Dec 1972. He is buried in Mountain View cemetery beside his wife, Catherine. His son is buried in Stanley cemetery, near Thunder Bay, as is one of his grandsons.  His daughter is buried in Mountain View Cemetery, as is one of his great-grandchildren.

CATHERINE FRASER was born 17th December 1885 at Kinlochbervie, Eddrachillis, daughter of Robert Fraser and Dolina Graham. Catherine sailed with her husband, Roderick  MacKay, aboard the S.S. Megantic (White Star Line) from Liverpool on Aug 8, 1919 arriving in Quebec on Aug 15, 1919 at 10:30 p.m. and landing in Montreal on the 16th of August 1919 at 12 a.m.   The ship carried a total of 978 passengers.

Family history reports that Catherine worked at Sandringham for the royal couple as a pastry chef.  The story is that on leaving, she received a gold sovereign and a commemorative cup and saucer. By 1919, she was working as a nurse in Aldershot and she continued nursing when she immigrated to Canada.  In 1919 she was married to Roderick MacKay  in Anderston Parish Church, Glasgow.  They went back to Kinlochbervie for a visit before leaving for Canada according to Catherine’s sister-in-law who was a youngster in school under the tutelage of Catherine’s sister, Miss Elizabeth Fraser.  This would be Catherine’s last visit to her home.

In Canada, she worked as a nurse and as a sideline, she made and decorated wedding cakes. She suffered a cerebral haemorrhage in 1960 which left her without a memory of recent events or people.  She spent her last days at Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital in what would now be the geriatric ward.  Catherine died 30 May 1961. Buried in Mountview Cemetery, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada.

Information from Beth Stewart, Ontario, Canada
(ref EM0017)

John Mackenzie, Rogart

John Mackenzie (McKenzie) was born in Rogart, son of Donald Mackenzie and Elizabeth Murray. John was said to be a gamekeeper.  John married Elizabeth Clark in Clyne on 28 May 1851 (SCR). Elizabeth was born at Sciberscross, Clyne, daughter of William Clark and Elizabeth Brown.

John and Elizabeth left on 14th July 1855 for Australia. They sailed to Australia aboard the ship ‘Balmaguith’ out of Portsmouth, England. According to ship records John gave his profession as shepherd, that he could read and write and that he was sponsored by Sir James McBain for whom he was to manage properties in Australia. With John and Elizabeth went their two year old son Hugh. During the journey to Australia their second child Janet was born on board. Also travelling with them were two sisters of John.

When Sir James McBain lost the lease of the lands on Wyuma Station, Victoria, in the early 1870s John with his eldest son Hugh selected 320 acres each where the town of St. Germains is today.

During his life at Wyuma, John was very involved in civic matters, being a magistrate, a member of the road board and having a seat on the Commission of peace. He was also a guardian under the Aboriginal Board. He was known to the local Aborigines as ‘Cash John’ due to his position on the board and his duties of distributing material and essentials to them.

John died suddenly in 1885. Elizabeth outlived him by several years. She spent many years in Geelong, Victoria, before she died in 1912 at the age of 90. They are buried in Echucha cemetery.

Their eldest son HUGH MACKENZIE born 13th December 1853 Rogart [died 4th August 1942] – “Hugh arrived in South Australia in 1855 when his father was appointed manager of Glencoe station in the Mount Gambier district; the family moved to (Sir) James MacBain's Wyuna station, near Kyabram, Victoria, in 1865. Educated at the Murchison local school and Scotch College, Melbourne, Hugh was an overseer at Wyuna from 1869 until the early 1870s. In 1877, with Laurence Kickham, he opened a profitable general store at Undera, south-east of Echuca. In 1878 Hugh married Margaret Jane Mitchell and they had six children. Following his marriage Hugh opened a livery stable at Echuca with his brother-in-law Edward Mitchell, but he soon joined J. M. Chanter in a stock and station agency. The Murray River Stock Station & Agency Co., formed by a merger in 1889, was forced into liquidation in 1892, but Mackenzie, undaunted, immediately joined the Echuca auctioneer, Thomas Copp, to form the Echuca stock and station agency, Mackenzie & Co. He, and later his sons, managed the business until its acquisition by Young husband Ltd in 1939. Hugh’s political life began in 1882 when he joined the Echuca Borough Council; he served fourteen years as councillor, with two terms as mayor (1883-84, 1903-04).

In 1904 he won the Legislative Assembly seat of Rodney as a Liberal and represented the electorate (usually polling about 70 per cent of the Echuca vote) until his defeat by the Victorian Farmers' Union candidate John Allan in 1917. He was president of the Board of Lands and Works and commissioner of crown lands and survey in the Murray and the Watt governments (1909-13) and minister of railways and of water supply and vice-president of the Board of Lands and Works in 1915-17 under Peacock. McKenzie was important in developing closer settlement policy. In May 1910 he headed an overseas mission in an attempt to attract 6000 settlers skilled in irrigation. Ironically, his defeat in November 1917 was largely caused by his steadfast support for the controversial clause 69 of the Closer Settlement Act (1912) which made title to the land conditional upon residence. In Echuca, however, it was widely considered that he had revealed 'true greatness' by sacrificing 'place and position for a principle'. Hugh's involvement in community affairs included membership of the Farmers & Citizens Trustee Co., Bendigo, the Echuca Agricultural Society, the board of management of the Echuca Presbyterian Church and the technical college council. A justice of the peace, he founded the Echuca branch of the Australian Natives' Association in 1886 and was a captain in the Echuca volunteer militia. He also served terms as president of the Echuca Gentlemen's Club, Fathers' Association and Hospital Board and as chief of the Caledonian Society. A tall, distinguished-looking man, Mackenzie was noted for his 'kindly, sympathetic and understanding nature'. When he died at Echuca on 4 August 1942 the town hall flag was flown at half mast while the town mourned the passing of its 'Grand Old Man'. Survived by three sons and a daughter, he was buried in Echuca cemetery”.
Further information.

Winifred York, Cairns, Australia.
(Ref EM0006)

Dolina Mackay

Dolina Mackay, from Armadale to United States 1906

Let me tell you about my grandmother Dolina McKay. She was not famous nor held any important station or position during her lifetime, but came from fisherman/crofter stock that lived their lives as best they could. It is through her and my mother that I feel a deep connection to the soil of Scotland. Each time I visit the Highlands, I cry in delight ………and cry again when it‘s time to leave.

Dolina McKay was born 10 Nov 1877, at Armadale, Farr, in Sutherland to her parents, Angus McKay, a fisherman, and Henrietta McKay, maiden surname McKay. Her parents listed marriage date is January of 1860. She was the 8th child born to her parents, and was to be one of only four children that survived into adulthood. Her siblings in order of birth were:

Betsy 1861-1870, Donald 1862-1869, George 1864- died in fishing accident after 1919, Neil 1866-1870, William 1869-1938, Elisabeth 1872-1940, Dolina1874-1875 and an infant girl 1881-1881 (3 days).

Dolina’s young life was spent in Armadale with her parents, two older brothers and one sister. Family stories tell us that because George was the oldest and prospects were poor in Scotland at that time, her brother William and sister Elisabeth “Bessie” left Scotland and immigrated through Canada into the United States in the late 1880’s. They both married and had families in the US.

In 1893, at Armadale, both of her parents passed away within a month of each other, leaving her (age 16) with her brother George who was 29 and single. In 1897, George married a woman that, it is said, Dolina did not care for and shortly after that she is pregnant and unmarried. Family stories tell us that she wanted to marry but her brother and sister-in-law forbade it. She obviously left the residence because the child was born May 1898 in Janetstown, Caithness. In November of 1898 she turned 21, and just 7 months after the birth of the child she and James Wares, married on 13 Dec 1898 in Thurso, Caithness. They had five children between the years 1898 and 1905, one of them was my mother Johan Dolina Wares, born in Nig. Ross & Cromarty, Scotland, 1904.

Perhaps her brother was correct about the marriage as it appears it was a thing to “escape” from. In 1906, the records at the Orphan Homes of Scotland, Bridge of Weir foundling home, document that she and the five children were brought to Glasgow by a Sheriff. He assisted her in placing the four oldest children in the home while she arranged to join her brother in the United States. She kept the babe in arms (5 months) with her. These same records indicate that James Wares was not "missing" as we had been told for years, but was in jail awaiting trial for fire setting.

Dolina, at age 27, departed on 26 May 1906, from Glasgow, with a destination port of Montreal, Canada. The manifest for this record is on the "Numidian", of the Steamship Line, Allan Line, Royal Mail Steamers and State Line. United States Immigration records show that she arrived in Quebec on 6 June 1906 with a final destination of Duluth Minnesota, and had a ticket paid for by her brother who lived in Duluth, Minnesota. What must she have felt traveling to a new country alone, with a small infant, leaving her other children behind ?

Although she had left four young children in Scotland, and had to find a new life in the United States to support them and the child she had brought over with her, and there were offers to adopt her children at the foundling home, she would not allow any of them to be adopted. Dolina was finally able to send for the children and they sailed to Canada on June 27, 1908 from Glasgow aboard the “S.S.Ionian”, scheduled to land on July 5, 1908 in Quebec. Johan (my mother) was only four years old at the time, but they traveled with a large number of children from the orphan home that were being escorted to Canada for adoption/farm work. After being quarantined in the children’s hospital for some type of communicable disease, they were put on a train to Sault Ste Marie, on the Ontario Canada/Michigan USA border, then onto another train to Duluth, Minnesota.

For a number of years she lived the “city life” in Duluth, Minnesota but eventually moved to the state of Washington.

In Washington, she purchased land in the San Juan Islands and began farming sheep. The farm was surrounded on two sides by the sea, and the terrain was rocky and hilly. The area was without electricity, sewer, or city water. Unbeknownst to me, this was in many ways a return to what she had known all her young life and it was not until I saw the seashore, hills and rocks of the highlands that I know what she must have felt toward this land. It was not an easy life for a woman and she worked hard to keep it going, many times not being sure where the next seed money would come from. She never returned to Scotland and this farm is where she lived until her death in 1966 at the age of 88 years.

As of 2009, all of her siblings and children are now gone but there are many of us still continuing the lives that they brought to the United States.

There is much to be admired of her strength both physically and mentally, many would consider her accomplishments “small” in a lifetime, but she stands in my eyes as a person to be much admired.

Submitted by Lucy M. Abbott (Campbell, Wares, McKay)
 (ref EM0005)

 

Finlay McDonald & Eliza Anderson

Photograph shows baby Florence Pelton with her mother Janet McDonald, wife of Lionel James Pelton.

Florence was born in Ontario, great, great, great granddaughter of Finlay and Elizabeth.  She writes:

Let me tell you about Finlay (Philip) McDonald and his wife, Elizaberth Anderson.  The Old Parish Records for Lairg indicate that Finlay, son of Angus McDonald and Ann Ross, was born 9 November 1774, at Auldersbreach (there are various spellings). He was baptised at Aulderbreck later moving to Breac-Leathaid, (another croft, about 5 miles north of the town of Lairg., about a mile east of Dalchork and about a mile to the south of Loch Beannach (Ordance survey grid ref NC 592102 ) and east of the River Shin.

We have been unable to determine who Elizabeth Anderson was. There was an Elizabeth Anderson b 17 Feb 1771, daughter of James Anderson & Janet Kirkwood of Old Kilpatrick, Dunbarton, Scotland. Was she the wife of Finlay McDonald, we have no way of knowing, but the naming pattern and the dates fit. We believe that Finlay was a shepherd for the Duke of Sutherland and possibly at the large farm at Shinness, part of the Sutherland Estate.

News from kin (in Canada) in letters home must have been good, as by 1830, Eliza and Finlay and 5 children set sail for the wilderrness district of Zorra (Ontario) in Canada. Prior to leaving for their new home, Finlay, Eliza and family were at Achtomlinie (Lairg) where a brother, William McDonald and his wife, Lily and family were then living. Finlay and Eliza left Scotland by sailing ship, possibly embarking from a seaport in northern Sutherland or Caithness, sailing around the top of Scotland and toward their port of entry in the Province of Quebec. What a journey that must have been, having cut off all ties with the life they had known, and setting out for a far-away land. Firstly, the long and dangerous sea voyage, then sighting land and going past Nova Scotia, where their only kin in Canada were living, sailing up the St. Lawrence River for an interminable period of time and landing at Montreal with still almost a thousand miles from their destination. It is believed that they knew where they were going and so transferred themselves and their belongings to open Durham Boats for the trip through the rapids of the St. Lawrence River and on toward Kingston, Ontario. There they would have boarded a sailing vessel that would take them to, perhaps, Burlington, Ontario. From there, they would have walked the planked Governor’s Road to the village of Thamesford, Ontario, thence northward from the Thames River in the township of Nissouri. Or, perhaps. they could have purchased an oxen and cart to help carry their worldly goods, but arrive they did at their chosen land and immediately Finlay wrote a letter to the Provincial Government - said letter is on file at the Provincial Archives in Toronto.

"Nissouri, Zorra
18 January 1831
Sir:
As I am an Emigrant, newly from Scotland, unacquainted with the Rules and Regulations of this country, I put up a shanty, a few days ago, upon the 12 Lot in the 14 Conception, Ni Zorra, which is Clergy lot. I am willing to comply with all the Rules and Regulations as the Bearer will inform you of.
I am your most obedient servant
Finlay McDonald
To: Mr. Robinson, Clergy Office, York". (Note: his penmanship was quite beautiful)

Their land was a Clergy Reserve of 114 acres. And fine land, it was, too, with the Silver Creek winding it’s way to the Thames River. Although covered with bush, the land was excellent and is still today a prosperous and well maintained property. The huge task of clearing the land began at once, and a log cabin was built replacing the shanty, then a home replaced the log cabin. Finally, a second section was added to the house, which stands today.

Finlay, had beautiful auburn hair, which he wore long, and each night after the day’s work was done, Eliza would brush his hair and braid it into a pony tail, When James married and brought his wife to the farm to live, Eliza said that she would like a small house for herself, to be built on the west side of their property. The stones of the foundation can be seen today.

It is not known where Finland and Eliza are buried, but it is thought that they are both buried in a favourite spot, by the flowing water at the west side of their farm. There are no makers to indicate a grave. This is strange, as before their deaths, a small cemetery was opened about a mile south of their property, The Town Line Cemetery. Their names are not listed as being buried in the cemetery. Finlay baptised 9 November 1774 died on or about 12 August 1843 in East Nissouri Township in Oxford County, Ontario. Eliza, born circa 1771, died before census taking in 1861.

Finlay and Eliza had 7 children born to them in Scotland at Breaklead and/or Dalnessie.
ANN born 1803, married the boy next door, Archibald McCaul
ROBERT born 1805 - emigrated to Nova Scotia in 1825 where he was enjoying a new and prosperous life
ANGUS born 1806, elected to stay in Scotland and marry his sweetheart, Margaret McColl. Some 20 years later they emigrated to Australia.
JAMES born 1809, died 1885, who married Jennet MacKay from Clunal, Lairg, Sutherland
WILLIAM, born 1811, married Elisabeth McNaughton and lived near Stratford, Ontario
HUGH born 1816, died 1866, married Catherine McDonald and lived nearby
JANET born 1817, died 1876, married Donald McArthur and lived in the Township of East Nissouri in Oxford County.
There were 62 grandchildren.
The descendants of Flnlay and Eliza spread throughout the world: to Australia, to New Zealand, to Maritimes of Canada, as well as to the United States as well as other parts of the world.
They prospered in the main, and added greatly to the population and economy of the New World.
from Florence Pelton Patterson, Ontario.
(ref EM0004)

Hugh Sutherland & Christy Mackenzie

Hugh Sutherland & Christy Mackenzie – From Rogart To Canada in 1831.

Hugh Sutherland born 1804 in Torsaid, near Rogart, son of Alexander Sutherland and Elspet McKay, married circa 1829 in Sutherland, Christian (Christy) McKenzie born 1805 Rogart, daughter of Kenneth McKenzie and another Elspet McKay. Hugh had three siblings: William, Janet and Catherine all born Rogart. Christy had six siblings: James, Jane, Alexander, John, Elspet and Margaret also born at Rogart.

Following their marriage Christy and Hugh lived at Craggybeg, Rogart, and later, at Morness, Rogart. Their second son, Alexander was born at Morness, the home of Christy’s parents, the McKenzies. According to the 1831 Rogart Emigrant’s List, Hugh and Christian with their two sons, John and Alexander, left Craggybeg and emigrated to Canada in a party of ten which included Hugh’s brother, William Weymus. They settled in Oxford County, Canada, between Thamesford and Embro, Ontario.

I have been unable to find a death record for Christy’s father, Alexander McKenzie. Apparently he died before 1830 as according to the 1830’s Rogart Emigrant’s List, Christy’s mother, Elspet (McKay) McKenzie, listed as a widow from Morness, emigrated to Canada. She left with a party of seven which included three of her sons, James, Alexander and John and they settled near Embro, Ontario. The early census in Oxford County indicates that Hugh Sutherland purchased 114 acres of land from the Canada Company which he cleared and built a log house. Later the log house was replaced by a stone house.

Hugh Sutherland and Christy McKenzie had thirteen children. The first two were born in Rogart, and the other eleven were born in Canada: John b 1830,Alexander b 1831, Margaret b circa 1832, Elizabeth b 1834, Jane b circa 1836, Katherine b circa 1837, Kenneth b 1838, Grant b 1841 (my Great Grandmother), John S. 1842, Mary Ann b circa 1843,William b 1846,James b 1847 and Marion b 1849. Hugh Sutherland died in 1871 and his wife Christy (McKenzie) Sutherland died in 1877. They are buried in the North Embro Cemetery, West Zorra Township.

Following Hugh’s death, the farm was left to his son, William on the condition that Christy would have a home there, money to support herself and a ride to church on Sundays. She lived with William until her death in 1877. William remained on the farm and his niece, Elizabeth Hall and her husband, Hugh G. Mitchell continued to live with him. Elizabeth was the daughter of William’s sister, Margaret Sutherland and her husband, James Hall.

When William died in 1904, the farm was purchased by Elizabeth and Hugh. Elizabeth (Hall) Mitchell died in 1929. Her husband, Hugh Mitchell continued to farm the property until his death in 1943, over one hundred years after Elizabeth’s Grandfather, Hugh Sutherland, acquired the property of one hundred and fourteen acres from the Canada Company.
My two grandsons, ages five and seven, are the youngest descendants in my family of Christy McKenzie and Hugh Sutherland. They are great, great, great, great grandsons.

The photograph above shows the stone built house which replaced the original log cabin built by Hugh Sutherland.

From Jean Hammond, Ontario
(ref EM0003)

George Munro, Eddrachillis to New Zealand 2

Anderson's Bay Cemetery, Dunedin, Otago

In Loving Memory of George Munro, born Oldshoremore, Sutherlandshire, Scotland, 6th February 1875, died at Dunedin 13th February 1936. Also his beloved wife Agnes Fraser died 22nd march 1944 aged 66 years . At rest. And their sons SGT/P Thomas Fraser Munro, killed in action, aged 35 years; CPL Iain Fraser Munro killed in action aged 25 years.

Agnes was Angusina Fraser who was born at Achlyness, Kinlochbervie,Sutherland on 29th April 1878. Thomas was born in Edinburgh and Iain in New Zealand, only sons killed in WW2.

Transcribed by Zelda Matheson, New Zealand and sent to us by George Munro, grandson of the above George.

More here. 
(ref EM0002)